While all couples can benefit from estate planning, same sex couples have special situations that require additional attention.
Where There’s a WIll, Same Sex Couples Need to Go Beyond
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Hoosier Estate Planner
In Settling Estates, Creditors’ Rights Come First
While one good goal of estate planning is avoiding probate, when it comes to avoiding taxes or debts, probate avoidance just doesn’t “do the trick”. That’s because in Indiana, just as in every other state, creditor’s rights come first, whether that creditor is a...
Innovative Technologies Designed to Help Older Adults Age in Place
By Rebecca W. Geyer The silver tsunami of Americans has inspired the technology industry. There are continuous developments and implementations of inventive digital Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that transform the lives of aging adults as well as their...
Is it time to update your estate plan?
Estate plans are not complete the first time you draft them. They are suitable for the present, but after three years or so, it is time to take another look. Your life can change in an instant. Life events can alter the nature of how your estate plan should be....
Dividing Retirement Fund Money During a Divorce
Dividing retirement fund assets during a divorce is all about who's going to be paying the taxes. “Whether you are giving up funds or receiving them, you need to understand the rules that govern asset division in a divorce,” Mark Cussen cautions in Investopedia. There...
Heir or Beneficiary – What’s the Dif?
You might say estates involve heirs, while estate planning involves beneficiaries. Is there a difference? Yes, and it’s an important one. An heir is a relative or other person who is legally entitled to an inheritance if there is no document specifying otherwise. A...
10 Reasons to Create an Estate Plan Now
By Cara M. Chittenden Many people think that estate plans are for someone else, not them. They may rationalize that they are too young or don't have enough money to reap the tax benefits of a plan. But as the following list makes clear, estate planning is for...
Think Twice Before Starting Over from Estate Planning Scratch
No, the estate tax isn’t dead, Fidelity reminds investors in “Tax Reform and Estate Planning”, even if it is in a coma until the end of 2025. True, 2018’s tax reform had far-reaching implications, including an increase in the federal estate tax exclusion to $11.4...
Estate planning for unmarried persons
If you are not married, you might not think that making an estate plan is a priority for you. This may be especially the case if you are young and have no children. However, the reality of the matter is that anyone can benefit from some form of estate planning. In...
Alternatives to Guardianship
By Rebecca W. Geyer Guardianship, among the most restrictive options for assisting disabled individuals because it takes decision-making rights away from the person, is a commonly used means of assisting people with disabilities. Under Indiana law, when a person...
